Albertus sprinted forward with thunderous momentum, dragging his spear behind him. Its blade scraped showers of sparks from the bluestone road, and the music grew ever more stirring.
Terror bared its white teeth in a savage grin. It seemed delighted, its eyes brimming with a hunger for battle as it clenched all four fists and charged toward Albertus.
Just before they closed, Albertus twisted his wrist and swept his spear across Terror's abdomen. But Terror's body was clearly no ordinary flesh and blood. The blade left only a white mark on its belly, while its fist was already hurtling toward Albertus's head.
Albertus carried the motion through, raising his spear horizontally to block Terror's fist. The instant they collided, a numbing vibration traveled down the spear into his arms. He immediately realized the gulf between his strength and this demon's and hurriedly used the impact to spring back.
The demon's bulk was intimidating, and so was its strength. Unlike the demons he had encountered before, it seemed to lack much intelligence, but it was no weaker for that. If anything, it was stronger-stronger than an ordinary Extraordinary.
Terror naturally refused to let the human escape. It charged after Albertus, swinging all four arms at once. Albertus could only rely on his agility to dodge from side to side, but Terror's enormous frame put him under overwhelming pressure. He gritted his teeth and held on, retreating step by step.
Although he was at a disadvantage, Albertus never considered backing down.
Just then, a figure leaped in from the side and punched Terror in the neck. Terror swayed, stumbled, and dropped to one knee.
It was Ernest.
Ernest clenched both fists, which glowed with Spirituality Power as intense as flames.
He glanced at the conch-shaped pendant on Albertus's chest. He could hear